Early the next morning,Su Xin woke up and quietly covered his sister,Xin'er,who was still sleeping beside him,with a blanket.Opening the rice jar,he saw only a dozen grains of rice inside,causing a twinge of pain in Su Xin's heart.
Stumbling out of the door,Su Xin decided to find something to make a sword.Although he had obtained Jing Wuming's Quick Sword,he needed to possess a sword himself.Pushing the door open,he stepped onto the muddy street with sewage flowing,dilapidated houses,and numb pedestrians—a true slum.
This place,once known as Chang Le Lane,was a poverty-stricken area where even beggars hesitated to come.Ironically,it used to be a prosperous district even though it was close to the edge of the city.However,things changed thirty years ago when the powerful Emperor Long Wu emerged,turning the once small southern country into the dominant Great Zhou Dynasty,making the previous hegemon Jin State flee in disgrace.After Emperor Long Wu moved the capital,Changning Prefecture began to decline gradually.
Su Xin found a piece of rusty iron about the length of an arm and three fingers wide in a corner.It used to be part of a structure to block a chicken coop,but Su Xin's family hadn't kept chickens since his mother passed away.He found two pieces of wood,sandwiched them between the iron,and tied them together with hemp rope—thus,he made a sword hilt.
Then Su Xin found a whetstone and meticulously removed the rust from the iron piece,sharpening it into a blade.At this moment,the door was pushed open,and Xin'er walked out with sleepy eyes,rubbing them,and asked,"Brother,what are you doing?"
A gentle smile appeared on Su Xin's lips,and he whispered,"Xin'er,be good.Brother will take you to eat something delicious later."In this life,Su Xin had a decent appearance—handsome as a sixteen or seventeen-year-old youth.Although not exceptionally beautiful,his smile was charming.
"Yeah,Xin'er will be obedient."Xin'er nodded vigorously,secretly swallowing a mouthful of saliva.Brother used to take her to eat the delicious miscellaneous noodles made by Aunt Wang at the street corner,but he hadn't done so for a long time.
"Hey?Su Xin,you're not dead yet?You're really lucky."Two figures,dressed in neat and tidy short warrior suits with a flying eagle embroidered on their chests,walked over casually,wearing surprised expressions.Su Xin looked at them coldly.He was not unfamiliar with these two;they used to fight side by side just three days ago!
Feiying Gang was one of the three gangs and four groups in Changning Prefecture.Besides the gang leader,there were three hall masters.Below the three hall masters were more than ten big bosses and over fifty small bosses.
In the last battle against Qingzhu Gang,the big bosses had given orders that whoever killed the most people in this battle would become a small boss and manage a street.Su Xin,despite his youth,had some real brute strength.He killed three Qingzhu Gang members right away,immediately suppressing the opponents.
However,unexpectedly,in the end,Liu Sandao,whom he regarded as his big brother,suddenly withdrew with several people who had fought side by side with him,leaving Su Xin alone surrounded by Qingzhu Gang and eventually beaten to death.
"Has Liu Sandao become a small boss now?Does he not feel guilty about seizing the position by betraying his brothers?"If Su Xin hadn't been betrayed,with his achievements,he would have been the one to become a small boss.
One of them shrugged,"Su Xin,you're too high-profile.In that battle,you killed the most people.If you don't die,Third Brother won't become a small boss."
"Hehe."Su Xin suddenly chuckled.For some reason,hearing Su Xin's laughter sent shivers down their spines.
"I've followed Liu Sandao since I joined Feiying Gang.Over the years,I've always treated him as a big brother!Even though I had the most achievements in the end,I was still willing to give the position of small boss to him!"
"Hehe,knowing people's faces but not their hearts.Only dead people are the safest."The other person drew a dagger from his waist,sinisterly saying,"Why waste time talking?It's perfect to kill him while he's seriously injured.He's alive,always affecting Third Brother's reputation.Also,that little sister of his,although she's a bit small,selling her to Yangzhou Prefecture as a skinny horse can still fetch a few taels of silver!"
Seeing the dagger,the pedestrians in Chang Le Lane weren't surprised but instead stopped to watch with interest.The martial world was brutal,especially for those born in the slums.Brawls or even fights to the death happened every day,and the death of one or two people wasn't a big deal.The authorities rarely cared.
Su Xin stood up unsteadily,still a bit weak."Xin'er,close your eyes."
Xin'er looked at Su Xin with worry.She knew what her brother was going to do,but she obediently closed her eyes,trusting her brother.
The man sneered disdainfully,"What,you still want to fight?Look at you now,do you still think you're the Su Xin from the past,the one who could single-handedly take on three sturdy men and not fall behind?You don't even have a weapon,what are you going to use to fight me?That little iron piece in your hand?"
"It's not just an iron piece;it's a sword,"Su Xin's tone was indifferent,as if stating a fact.
"Just that?You call that a sword?Hahaha,don't be ridiculous!"
"Anything that can kill is a sword!"
Suddenly,Su Xin's left hand moved,and a sword thrust out.The laughable iron piece had already pierced the man's throat.
Jing Wuming's sword was a weapon for killing!There were no flashy sword techniques,only the simplest killing skills.
His sword wasn't martial arts;it was purely a technique for taking lives.
Su Xin slowly withdrew the sword from the man's throat.The rusty iron piece now tainted with blood looked exceptionally vivid.
Now,everyone believed that Su Xin indeed held a sword—a sword capable of killing.There was a hint of blood-red in Su Xin's eyes,and for some reason,the first time he killed someone,there was no hesitation.Seeing the splattering blood,he didn't feel the slightest discomfort.
Perhaps it was the fusion of memories from two lifetimes.Although Su Xin was a teenager in this life,his hands had already taken lives.
"Killing seems quite simple,huh?"Su Xin flicked the blood droplets off the sword,much like how he died easily in his past life.
The nearby Fourth Brother was nearly scared out of his wits.He had known Su Xin for several years,aware that he could fight,but he had never seen such a terrifying sword technique!Su Xin just lifted his hand,and the sword had already penetrated the man's throat—simple,direct,and incredibly frightening.
Fourth Brother didn't hesitate;he immediately turned to run,but he suddenly felt a coolness above his head.He realized that his hair had been shaved off by Su Xin at some point.
"If you run again,I'll kill you."
Fourth Brother turned around and immediately knelt before Su Xin,bowing his head while trembling."The last time had nothing to do with me.It was all Liu Sandao's decision!For the sake of our many years of friendship,spare me!"
"Get up!"
Fourth Brother hurriedly stood up,not daring to breathe heavily.
"Give me all the silver you have."
Fourth Brother quickly took out all the silver on him and handed it to Su Xin.
"Carry him back and give him to Liu Sandao.Tell him that what he owes me,I,Su Xin,will personally come to collect."
Su Xin's face showed no expression,no malice,and no anger.Yet,just like this,it sent chills down Fourth Brother's spine.
Dragging the corpse away,Fourth Brother quickly disappeared into the alley.
Other pedestrians in Chang Le Lane hastily made way.
They had seen killings,but Su Xin's swift and decisive killing left them trembling with fear.
"Xin'er,open your eyes."
Su Xin ruffled Xin'er's head and said,"Let's go,wash your face.Brother will take you to eat beef noodle soup."
A joyful smile immediately appeared on Xin'er's face.For her,as long as her brother was there and there was food,she was content.
Aunt Wang had been running her stall here for decades.Since Su Xin was young,he had been bringing Xin'er to eat noodles here.
Aunt Wang only sold three kinds of noodles:plain noodles,mixed noodles,and beef noodle soup.
In the past,Su Xin would occasionally treat Xin'er to a bowl of mixed noodles.Only on special occasions would he order a bowl of beef noodle soup—just one,leaving it for Xin'er to enjoy.
"Auntie,two bowls of beef noodle soup."
Aunt Wang served them two bowls of rich and red beef noodle soup,making Xin'er's bowl with extra chunks of beef.
"Be a good girl and eat slowly."Aunt Wang,with her Xiang-Chuan accent,watched Xin'er devour the beef noodle soup,her face full of wrinkles almost breaking into a smile.
"Yeah,thanks,Auntie."Xin'er,with her cheeks bulging,mumbled her thanks to Aunt Wang.
Su Xin picked up a piece of beef from his own bowl and handed it to Xin'er,who was still voraciously slurping noodles.
As the food went down,Su Xin felt some of his strength returning.His body,weakened from three days of hunger,had now recovered most of its vigor.
Although Su Xin had gained a bit of meager internal energy due to practicing the basic inner strength of Quanzhen Sect,it wasn't enough to completely restore his physical strength.
After finishing the bowl of noodles,Su Xin saw Xin'er still enjoying her meal eagerly.He gently ruffled her head and said to Aunt Wang,"Auntie,I have something to attend to.Can you please take care of Xin'er for me?"
Aunt Wang waved her hand,sighing,"Little one,the martial world is dangerous.Don't forget you have a little sister to look after."
Su Xin smiled at Aunt Wang.Was the martial world more dangerous than human hearts?
"Xin'er,be good,eat your noodles here with Auntie.Brother will be back in the evening."
Xin'er puffed her cheeks and nodded obediently.
